Former Alabama Golfer Tied for First at Players Championship: Roll Call

Your daily briefing on what's going on with Alabama athletics and how to watch the Crimson Tide.
Lee Hodges lines up a putt on the 9th green during the first round of The Players Championship golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass, March 12, 2026 in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. March 12, 2026.
Lee Hodges lines up a putt on the 9th green during the first round of The Players Championship golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass, March 12, 2026 in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. March 12, 2026. | Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Several former Alabama golfers got off to strong starts in the opening round of the Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. Lee Hodges had the best start as he is tied for the lead at 5-under par at the end of the suspended first round.

Hodges completed his first round with a 5-under 67. He is tied with four other golfers for first place. Hodges has one career PGA Tour win at the 3M Open back in 2023.

Justin Thomas is just one stroke behind Hodges at 4-under par and is tied for sixth. Bud Cauley shot a 2-under 70 and is tied for 17th. The tournament will resume on Friday. The purse for the Players Championship is $25 million.

Crimson Tide Roll Call: Friday, March 13, 2026

  • Former Alabama all-American Jonathan Allen agreed to a two-year deal with the Cincinnatti Bengals according to a report from ESPN. Allen has been in the NFL since 2017, and the Bengals will be his third team.
  • Alabama women's basketball head coach Kristy Curry is reportedly being targeted for a vacancy at Northwestern. Curry has been at Alabama since 2013 and has taken the Crimson Tide to four NCAA tournaments. This year will mark her fifth trip in the last six seasons.
  • Freshman running back EJ Crowell, sophomore linebacker Justin Hill and redshirt sophomore offensive lineman Casey Poe were named the Student Athletes of the Week for Alabama football.

Alabama Crimson Tide Thursday results:

No events scheduled

Alabama Crimson Tide Friday schedule:

  • Track and field at NCAA Indoor Championships, Fayetteville, Arkansas, All day, ESPN+
  • Men's tennis at Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, 4 p.m., Watch
  • Women's tennis vs. Missouri, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, 5 p.m.
  • Baseball at Kentucky, Lexington, 5:30 p.m., SEC Network+
  • Gymnastics vs. Georgia, Tuscaloosa, 6:30 p.m., SEC Network+

Countdown to Alabama Football's 2026 season opener

176 days

On this date in Alabama Crimson Tide history:

March 13, 1958: A special 15-minute radio program titled Bear's Facts was set to begin airing on Thursdays when spring training began. The show featuring Paul W. “Bear” Bryant would be carried by 20 stations in the state and one in Georgia. Local listeners could hear it at 6:30 p.m. or 10:30 p.m. each Thursday.

March 13, 1990: Marcell Dareus was born in Birmingham.

Marcell Dareus
Jan 7, 2010; Pasadena, CA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide defensive lineman Marcell Dareus (57) returns an interception return for a touchdown during the second quarter of the 2010 BCS national championship game against the Texas Longhorns at the Rose Bowl. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

March 13, 1991: D.J. Fluker was born in New Orleans.  

Alabama Crimson Tide Quote of the Day:

“Get your mind right!” – D.J. Fluker

We'll leave you with this...

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Katie Windham
KATIE WINDHAM

Katie Windham is the assistant editor for BamaCentral, primarily covering football, basketball, gymnastics and softball. She is a two-time graduate of the University of Alabama and has covered a variety of Crimson Tide athletics since 2019 for outlets like The Tuscaloosa News, The Crimson White and the Associated Press before joining BamaCentral full time in 2021. Windham has covered College Football Playoff games, the Women's College World Series, NCAA March Madness, SEC Tournaments and championships in multiple sports.

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